When Kick-Ass was released, some people worried that kids would get the wrong idea and try to become their own real-life vigilantes. While we have yet to see any reports of twelve year old costumed kids being gunned down trying to stop gang activities (and lets hope we don’t) the news this week has picked up on the story of a costumed vigilate who has been fighting crime in Seattle. A man claims that he was seconds of being carjacked when a real-life superhero named “Phoenix Jones” stepped in and chased off the attempted-thief. Watch a CBS news report on the incident featuring Phoenix Jones after the jump.

Jones wears body armor, a ballistic vest, arm/leg trauma plates, and even a ballistic cup. He is part of the “Rain City Superhero Movement,” a Justice League of America-like group of costumed “crime fighters”. The nine characters go by the names Thorn, Buster Doe, Green Reaper, Gemini, No Name, Catastrophe, Thunder 88, Penelope and Phoenix Jones the Guardian of Seattle. Officers have learned the identity of “Phoenix”: the 22-year-old man has been interviewed by the police and even came to police headquarters dressed in costume.

Police say the “costume-wearing complainants” are lucky they haven’t been hurt. In one instance, police say a caped crusader dressed in black was nearly shot when he came running out of a dark park. In another case, a witness on Capitol Hill saw the crusaders wearing ski masks in a car parked at a Shell station and thought they were going to rob the place. “I don’t condone people walking around on the street with masks,” said the man who called himself Phoenix Jones. “Everyone on my team either has a military background or a mixed martial arts background, and we’re well aware of what its costs to do what we do.” Police say they hope the self-proclaimed superheroes act as good witnesses instead of putting themselves in danger.

Watch a CBS news report on the incident featuring Phoenix Jones after the jump.